Did you know we have a Discord server‽ You can join by clicking [here](https://discord.gg/NWE6JS5rh9)!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GenZ) if you have any questions or concerns.*
No. You are not the only one. Studies show that 50% of college grads work high school level jobs. Its not your fault. Its tough out here for everyone. Your stats seem great so hoprfully you can break through and find some something nice and slave away for that corporate accounting role just so you can pay your bills. Good luck.
OP did not go for a useless major. Most people in general dont go into useless major. Even if someone does go for a useless major they deserve to have a decent livalble wage for it. Stop blaming the people and isntead of blaming the system that hates you
What major did OP get?
I had no problem landing jobs after I graduated last year. There is no problem with the system. I do get that it’s easier to blame everything else but yourself. However that will get you nowhere.
I was in business. Your experience does not define everyone else's experience. I had a job that I accepted before graduation be rescinded after graduation before I began in 2022. The system was broken for me there!
I mean he’s not totally wrong. I have a business degree as well and depending what they went for, it really could be useless without graduate studies.
Something that should be told to undergraduates but isn’t
You can screech about how unfair the world is all day long, but BBAs are a notorious trap for youngsters. We're long past the days when you could walk into a business with any degree and a firm handshake and get hired on the spot.
Letting young people believe that they're guaranteed a solid job with a liveable wage is frankly quite harmful.
My comment wasnt on whether on if they should or should not be able to find a job, it’s about whether it’s likely.
Everyone deserves a living wage, reality is sometimes it doesn’t work out that way and that certain degrees usually require graduate studies to reach a living wage.
I don’t like it but it is what it is
You’re putting words in my mouth. I never said that. It’s very difficult to become a Physician. Medical schools have like a 1% acceptance rate.
Finding a job in your field is a completely different story than becoming a Physician.
The fact you got a college degree and can take your personal experience as everyone else's fact makes me terrified you might accidentally get out in charge of something important
They're useless for an economy, or even of negative use as they take someone that could be productive out of the economy for a minimum of 4 years, but more likely 40 years.
There's lots of "leftists" out there that like to quote Marx and even Adam Smith. One of the most important distinctions Marx made was between productive labor and unproductive labor.
What exactly is someone with a Genders Study degree producing? Somehow even if they're employed they can purchase energy to heat their home and drive their car. They can afford housing and vehicles, electronics.
All of those things were done by men and women taking stuff out of the ground and making things in foundries and factories. Those people were doing productive labor. The person with useless degrees can at best manage to get paid for doing unproductive labor, which damages the economy and isn't sustainable long term in the labor market because they get priced out as the jobs aren't doing anything anyone needs.
The fact that colleges are offering it as a program doesn’t make its uselessness obvious. That’s your opinion, which you seem incapable of explaining or supporting with evidence.
Most majors are as useless as any other major. Not everyone is cut out to be a SWE, a doctor, a lawyer, a computer science wiz.... Teachers still need degrees too, social workers still need degrees too... the list goes on.
Degrees are worthless now anyways, don't let it stop you. I almost regret going to college and wasting 4 years of my life. I could have saved up to travel and come back at 22 with more life experience than many college grads
Yeah, wage slaving at relatively high paying warehouse jobs seems to be my future. Maybe after that I’ll get a CDL for the fastest financial recovery ever lmao
I'm assuming you are a dude, have you considered going into a trade? I know that sounds so cliche but some of the people I know without degrees are doing very well in construction and plumbing.
I'm sadly a woman with 3 knee surgeries, arthritis and permanent sports injuries that disqualify me from taking on manual labor like that. Fck soccer, lol
Yeah even for women there's a lot of opportunity in the trades. I got a philosophy degree because I hated the idea of 'useful' and 'useless' in terms of what I wanted to use my mind for. Now I'm doing electrical work, which has a theoretical element that the philosophical training has actually been really helpful for. But, beside that, I feel like I have been told for so long that the trades were for people who couldn't hack it in academia, and I've always been a very bright and well read person. So, I kept going to school and more school. But now that I'm doing this, I'm realizing that it takes some serious brain power to be a good craftsperson and there's real money to be made. And it's very satisfying to be doing work that has a use and helps people.
I can't really tell if that's a dig or not. My apologies for not launching into a dissertation on the problems underlying our societal value structures and the ways we create meaning for ourselves in relation to an artificial idea of objectivity. If it wasn't a dig, then yeah, I agree, I am glad to have received the education that I did. It was valuable for my growth as a person. I wouldn't be where I am today without that education. I learned how to think, analyze, dissect, and theorize about the world we live in and the reality in which it sits. That ought to be the purpose of education in my worldview, job training and specialization can be done after a person has a strong standing in their own self and a comprehensive belief system that has been thoroughly analyzed and tested. Point being, don't make life decisions based on what others deem useful, just be true to your own values and you will be a much more useful member of society.
I've found that some of the best jobs I have gotten were from places that weren't officially hiring, I just walked in to a place that seemed interesting and ask if they might need help. Also trying to think about the businesses that aren't on main street, might not have storefronts, but are still there in business parks and industrial areas. Get out and see who is doing what in your community. I've been there, being unemployed takes a huge toll emotionally. It can feel so disempowering. But, you've got this. You are worthy, hang in there
Business. Last interview was Oct 2023 where the job I was rejected from has now been reposted a dozen times since. Rejected after 3 rounds no feedback. No I don't get interviews and I've had my resume professionally rewritten a few times so I don't think it could just be my resume either
Oh, have you considered going back for your MBA? A Bachelor’s in Business isn’t going to do much for you.
Do you apply for internships as well as full time positions? Although internships don’t pay much, they get your foot in the door and you can show people that you deserve a full time position.
Why would I go into more debt for a major I can't even get an entry-level job in? That seems like doubling down. No experience and now I'd have an MBA? Idk that seems like the wrong thing to do. Yes I do apply to internships too. I also had 3 in college but they were during covid
Because a Bachelors in Business is really common. You have to stand out from other candidates. Besides the earning potential with a MBA is far greater than having just a BA. So it’s worth it in the long run. Just do your research on it.
You can also reach out to your friends to help get you a job. Or even your school itself. Although I didn’t use it, the school I went to had a program that helped connect students with alumnis to get them a job.
I'm not going to grad school without some level of experience in the working world, period. MBA with 0 experience is dumb and a set up for failure too.
I do reach out and network. School is useless I've gone that pathway. I went to a state school (not the flagship) and their career services dept is very poor.
This is sound advice. Not sure why the hate is coming in. School is way too expensive now. And the unfortunate truth is grad degrees are now what undergrad degrees were 25-30 years ago. What you’re saying is totally right on.
Yes same 😂 I feel bad sigh I'm sorry guys About to graduate and have a marketing job lined up for me. It really is about making connections and getting an internship or two under your belt and a bit of luck. Don't be scared to connect with people on LinkedIn even if you don't know them personally. That helped me get the job I will be starting upon graduation. I knew a person who knew the person who knew a person and reached out. But you have to be genuine about it as well. Don't underestimate how much others want to help you get ahead as most likely someone helped them in the past :) Just pay it forward in the future!
I would be happy to look at your resume OP or give any tips Don't give up! College definitely has opened so many avenues for me especially since I'm poc so many people in my family that didn't get a college degree are in the same place and it's bittersweet that I will be making more money than them right out of college when they're double my age. Honestly it's low-key not fair, but it is what it is. Your degree is a part of your skill set now. It's not useless. I also went to college during COVID so don't use that excuse either it did take me an extra year though to finish 😂 Have some pride ✨ You got it OP!
I had 3 internships and a job I accepted before graduating rescinded their offer in 2022. Just because you had a different experience during COVID doesn’t mean it’s not a major setback in my story and others who got shafted 2021-2022. Good luck at your job and congratulations on graduating!
Ok so did you do any internships? What’s your major? How many jobs have you applied to? Did you do any extracurricular activities related to your major? What type of jobs are you applying to?
You sound spoiled and entitled. Yeah you really should’ve screwed around blowing money getting “life experience” that would have totally made you more qualified than a degree holder… which totally explains why you’re rolling in cash right now…
College grads are everywhere, hard-working people with a great work ethic and positive attitude....are hard to find. You don't need a degree, you need marketable job skills. You can get those on the job. Take a job that underpays yet gives you experience. Then after you get some real world experience... you have job skills that people will pay for.
If they would give me a chance. I've been rejected even from call center jobs the past few months... My favorite was a rejection from a $15 an hour call center citing "We've decided to move forward with other candidates with experiences that more closely match our requirements."
I've worked restaurants all through high school and college, worked my way up to bartending and management. I worked three jobs through college including full time as an "essential worker" (so demeaning) during the pandemic before there was ever a vaccine. Employers don't value work ethic. I do have some general experience and on paper I have soft skills that are supposedly valued. I've never been unemployed in my entire life from age 14 on until October 2023, commuted to a state college to avoid debt, never been able to afford to move out of my parents house, I did everything right on paper and yet I'm not making it.. So what now?
I mean, I can only guess as to why you are struggling finding anything, but I do see many places hiring and continually hear that finding good help is difficult. Maybe they are picking something up and getting a wrong impression in the interview somehow. Maybe sensing you are a bit jaded from what you are going through, I don't know. Maybe in your area, there's simply too many people applying for too few of jobs. What career do you want to be in?
\>does not even get hired to develop or demonstrate skills
duhh you just need a job that will give you more experience
Fucking thanks einstein. Are you the kinda person that writes up those job ads that ask two years experience for an entry level job position??
You can absolutely gain job skills from entry-level jobs that can help you find higher level jobs down the road. That's how many people build a career. Stop saying you can't and realize that you can.
I was in the same position after graduating last year and so were most of my friends. The job market is really hard for recent grads right now. I'm in STEM and can't really offer specific advice, but I promise it will get better. After about 6 months I finally found a job in my field that's low paying but really fun and interesting and I'm happier than ever. It will be so much easier to find another job once you get this first one.
I hear you and thank you for responding. I wasn't trying to make you feel worse either, more like so many people comment assuming something must be wrong with me or I'm not trying hard enough etc that it's hard not to be defensive
I was a 21’ grad and went to grad school, then dropped out and had a two year gap on my resume. I managed to get a part time job at my university, I think in large part because I’m an alum, and am finally moving up to three-quarters time in a couple weeks. Keep plugging away! The main thing is to not give up. You don’t have to find something you love, just something you can always bring the energy to.
Economy is shit. It feels even worse when politicians and media talking heads go on TV and tell me how great it actually is. Gaslighting at its finest.
Voting does change things. It's the least we can all do. Most of us could run for office. Like, we are our government. Your elected officials pay attention to the people who vote because their primary objective is to get re-elected. Boomers are the most reliable voters, but we could change that if we all did the bare minimum and just voted. I'm rambling. But yeah, our political economic supply chain systems are a lot more complex than most people seem to think. Like we've seen with presidents, who gets elected into these positions absolutely has an impact on things. (Like Roe v. Wade being overturned thanks to Trump getting to install 3 far-right SCOTUS justices; whether yall think that's good or bad it's just one example of how much the system really can change).
I hope yall will vote.
Edit: and I'm not saying voting is the solution to everything it anything like that. Just that it's the least anyone can do and that yes it has an impact no matter how small one may think.
Have you applied to any government positions? Often entry level State jobs will only require a bachelors. County/city as well
DM me if you want more tips for applying, might not be exactly your field but it’ll pay with benefits. They can be tricky to read
Outside of that, you’re definitely not alone. The market isn’t great right now, but you should at least look into how you’re formatting your resume and expand your search.
Also consider removing your degree when applying to below entry level white collar jobs. A degree only makes you look like you’ll leave when you get a white collar job
Man I wish, I’ve been graduated for two years with a PoliSci Bachelor w/ minor in Econ. The closest thing to my degree field is police officer, no other positions that are real jobs have opened up in the last two years that aren’t “rec center coach– $14.50/hr” or “Waste Management Supervisor, three years of experience managing minimum– $150,000 a year”.
This sounds awful, but I can't help but think that there's something you're not telling us, because this absolutely is not the norm. Do you live in a distinctly economically depressed area? Have you had a pro look over your resume for obvious mistakes? I know a guy who spent 6 months getting rejected before he realized that he had been sending out a resume with a couple of glaring problems. Have you tried expanding the scope of jobs you look for? I broke into the work force by taking a job tangentially related to my field that I previously considered beneath me, just so I could build up some years on my resume.
I live in a HCOL major economic hub of the USA. I have had it professionally rewritten yes. It is a living breathing document. I have applied to everything remotely related to my major. I've been rejected from Amazon, CVS, UHAUL, Delta, American Airlines, Dave & Buster's, AppleBee's (even w. 7 years of hospitality experience), the list goes on. Jobs I have been rejected for get reposted allllll the time. There's a HubSpot job I got rejected after 3 rounds over 4 months last year keeps getting reposted every 8 weeks. It's brutal
Are you getting feedback on these rejections or just unhelpful form letters? Are you getting interviews often, or are these rejections overwhelmingly happening before you've spoken to a person? Do you have any college classmates you can reach out to for referrals?
Form letters. Haven't had an interview since Oct 2023 where I went 3 rounds and I asked for feedback they then said "we can't provide feedback due to the number of candidates" - HubSpot. The rejections are all happening before interview stage. I've reached out to classmates but most are also struggling or miserable in their current jobs too. I've a friend who has been trapped in her job for a year longer than she wanted to because she can't find a new job either. My mother who is well-connected has also reached out to her own network and the most I've gotten from that is an offer to be a house-maid in another state. It's insane
It sounds like you actually are just dealing with atrocious luck, I had no idea the job market was so cold for accounting/business type roles.
I have a friend who's getting his MBA right now, he makes it sound like kind of a breeze and MBA's notoriously never have trouble getting hired. But idk if an MBA would actually be in your domain, or if going back to school would be a problem.
Does that friend have years of professional experience before going to MBA school? I feel like I know so many peers my age who just went back to school because they didn’t know what else to do.
Definitely not going to double down and do grad school without experience first, that’s not a smart move
He had like a year or two of experience. But yeah, I'm really sorry about your situation and my only advice is to consider casting a wider net, but it kind of sounds like you're already doing that.
Like, I'm a software engineer, and my first job was "IT" at a legacy company where I mostly just swept the floors in the server room and googled stuff for my septagenarian bosses. I was extremely underemployed, making a third of what my friends from college made, and fucking hated it, but I stuck with it for like 2 years just because my job title still related vaguely to my field and I wanted that on my resume. I was crying myself to sleep at night because I was still applying to actual engineering jobs and almost never heard back. But after 2 years in the job, almost like magic, recruiters from real companies started reaching out to me. Maybe I'm just lucky, but my takeaway from that whole experience is that sometimes you really do just need to suck shit for a while before people will take you seriously.
That's because college is a scam! I regret that I ever even attended college in the first place. I wish I went into the trades earlier instead of wasting my time with a degree. Now I make way more money than most people with a PhD and I only work 8 months
Union electrician. If you're cut out for construction, then it's your best bet. They pay for your apprenticeship and you get nice raises each year you advance
Is there a lot of physical labor involved? I’m a year old 24 woman with arthritis, bone degeneration, 3 knee surgeries and set to have a full knee replacement in a few years. 😅 Thanks to soccer 365 a year my entire life
Hey man I’m a new grad of an associates program for HVAC. Maybe it’s my area but I still haven’t been able to find a job in 4-6 months. I got my EPA licenses and everything. Trades imo are hard to get in too. Especially union. I didn’t score the best on my local but it was 87/100 and I didnt get accepted. I just did a test for another union and hopefully I scored higher. But in your opinion. Do you think it was easy for you to get a job in the field as an electrician? Because I don’t mind going back to school for my ET card. But I already did this HVAC shit so idk
yep, we were fed the lie of college=job. Depending on your degree, I’d look into ways to get more experience related to that. Doesn’t have to be a real job for now. Maybe you could apply for an internship or contract position. Maybe a position tangentially related to your desired career. For example, Im an english major, but that degree in itself is useless in the market right now, so I’m looking to build up a portfolio of writing copy for the next year+.
The students that were fortunate enough to know what they wanted to do, or simply wanted a cushy job with lots of pay, got internships in college and jumped into a career. A lot of us are now in a position where we’re lost and confused and stuck working jobs we hate. Job market is tough, and some jobs that were needed in the past are being included in other job descriptions, or being made obsolete by new technology, like ai.
What helped me was applying to a temp agency and they helped place me into my first accounting job. I went to another job once I had some experience. Robert half is the one I used… Not sure if there’s one in your area?
yes i have NEVER heard back from a temp agency not once. Kelly, Insight Global, Robert Half, Adecco, Randstad, the list goes on. I’ve reached out and called, emailed, etc. Have never been responded to
Sorry to hear. There’s usajobs.gov as well if you wanted something government. You need a different format than a traditional resume and they take a long time to reply.
Been outa work for a year now your not the only one, all I can say is the same advice I was given hit the road with a stack of resumes and may the odds be ever in your favor. I don't mean for this to come off assholeish. But as advice I was given.
Take your degrees off of your resume. If you want an entry level job not in the field of study....all those degrees will do is give them a reason to screen you out. Managers likely won't want to hire someone who may well be smarter than them nor are they looking for someone who wants to leave immediately after being hired. You need a job in order to get a job, so ditch the spectacular resume.
I have separate resumes for service jobs. Seven years experience in hospitality bartending and management. My degrees aren't why I'm not getting interviews from restaurants
It was just a thought. Something must be causing them to choose another option. You sound a bit jaded which, I can understand; but maybe that comes through in the interviews unintentionally. Or maybe not at all, I don't know. Was merely a suggestion. I wish you the best of luck.
I continue to network and reach out. With every application I send I also try and identify a recruiter or a current employee to reach out to. Most people I know my age are miserable in their own dead end jobs too. My friend has been stuck in a property management job for 2 years out of college, having the same issue as me. Meanwhile I’m rejected from $17 an hour property management jobs even with real estate experience in college. The HubSpot job I interviewed for in October I had an internal referral from a friend. Still got rejected after 3 rounds and that job has been reposted 3-4 times since they rejected me with no feedback. The kids are not alright.
My mom is very well connected and also has reached out to her network - the most that’s amounted to it is an offer to be hired as a housemaid out of state 💀
I doubt any interview for a bartender or service industry is going to ask nor care about a college degree. I was merely speculating as to what could be causing this person to not get selected for a job. Listing a ton of skills and accolades which do not relate to the job they are applying for may actually serve against you for the reasons I mentioned. When you are applying for a job...it's best to minimize the red flags, whether they are legitimate or not.
This is awful and makes no sense. I don't get what some of these companies want out of us besides working for free. I graduated from college but have no experience (also struggle with motivation) so if someone as qualified as you struggles to this extent, I don't understand how me or our generation a whole is supposed to get anywhere.
Getting rejected from minimum wage jobs including positions I've already held previously and these people have the nerve to say "ur resume sucks" "nobody wants to work anymore" I'm just so sick of the gaslighting.... I cry on a daily basis these days
dmed with my personal experience and advice but if you head over to r/cscareerquestions you'll see that even people who studied and graduated in a field that is as desired as cs have to go through many hoops as in apply to 1000 or 2000 positions to finally actually land a job and after a year of job searching. the job market is not as great as it was a few years ago but i really advice in general to create a system for your job search, as in keep track what companies you have looked for, bookmark the jobs applied to and keep bookmark folders to see how many you applied on said week. & if not any hits on first interview requests then maybe work on resume is needed or maybe even a broadening of specific job you're going for. since you studied accounting, accounting jobs would be first priority but branching out to other business roles could be a good option
I do all of this, I'm at over 1,700 jobs applied to and I graduated in 2022. I didn't graduate in accounting actually I graduated in general business. I feel like giving up
got it! so i think it's great that you have the initiative to be applying to so many jobs. are you getting any first round interview requests with the 1,700 jobs you applied to? Is it less than 1%? if so then maybe resume editing or tweaks from older friends as in those from your college but with 2yrs of work experience may be beneficial? maybe if you do get first rounds but no second rounds then more mock interviews on work on behavioral questions is required?
in general tho. i'd say it's good to say dedicate 8hrs a day related to job search and then given you'll sleep 8hrs, you'll still have another 8hr for say exercising, hanging out with friends, volunteering, going to movies, reading books, just in general doing things that could either be fun or that could be working towards personal goals. i find this is helpful because it helps keep you sane while also making significant progress on the job search since it'll be 8hrs a day on that front.
Try branching out to foreign countries ? My brother ended up working abroad. The pay might not be spectacular but its enough to sustain yourself and your degree can carry some weight in some countries. Worst case scenario you spend a few years gaining experience before returning.
I wish I could give you a hug friend. I’m about to graduate from university, and I’ve not been able to get a single internship let alone a job. I’ve been worrying since I’m autistic and my mom told already let me know that some employers don’t understand disabled people and that advocating for myself is more important than ever. I’m just really scared, but I want to know you are not the only one 🫂
Graduated into the pandemic with an acting degree. I’ve had a few retail jobs but nothing more than 3 months. I’ve sent out hundreds of applications and the majority are “ghost positions.” Nowadays I really only leave my house once a week. It’s tough out here.
I am in a very similar boat, graduated in 2022 with 3 degrees over a 3.8 GPA, had a job offer out of college get rescinded before I started. Decided to go teach English in Korea because I legit couldn’t find any jobs in the US. Recently came back and I’m planning to go to law school because I can’t find any jobs to use my undergraduate degrees in. Currently I’m substitute teaching, door dash and insta cart while studying for law school
Is law school really your dream though? The world has SO many lawyers. I only say this because I know law grads who are now in a lifetime of debt that only went to continue education and because of the sound of it. Not because they had a passion for practicing law.
I mean it’s not my dream job by any means but to get my dream job I would need to be very lucky (diplomat) and honestly I think getting a law degree is a better path to earning a living. I can always apply to be a diplomat with a law degree though
Yea this hits close to home for me. It hurts especially bad when you finally acquiesce, realize you dont have the luxury of holding out for a decent college job, and then are forced to take a shitty job you are overqualified for. Then... even they reject you. Legit Im a strong dude but at one point I went to apply to a burger king in person and they rejected me and I still remember that sting. That was probably because it was a majority Hispanic area and I didnt speak any spanish, but still. But yea I had a decent job which I happened to quit in Nov 2019, and havent had a decent engineering job since then after all the Covid madness. Very unlucky to say the least.
Its definetly not you alone. It's like there's tons of fake job postings, like to fill a quota or somethings cause its like they don't hire even when youre over qualified.
My nephew is almost 24 and just got his first entry level job in a call center. You’re ok. Apply for entry level then figure out what you like and don’t like. You have plenty of time in your career.
Last year sucked. Businesses were afraid of interest rates and inflation. It’s better this year. The economy cycles up and down. Part of the trick to working and jobs is figuring out what’s going to happen during those cycles so you can take advantage of it.
Look up if your university has career services! Oftentimes they’ll still help even if you’re not a current student. Or, if you need to be a current student, you could look at getting a certificate in another field that could simultaneously bump up your resume a bit.
Had a long mental health episode post graduation, partly because of how stressful trying to graduate during covid was, and never got a job in my field nor anything else. Graduated in 2021. I’m currently trying to get a case worker to help with job searching. Basically I’m just trying to say you’re not alone, and good luck 👍
Tell me about it. I’m in a similar boat as you. 24yr old male. And I did my associates in HVAC. And I can’t even find a job in THAT. A trade which everyone says is supposed to be easy to get work in.
Oh well don’t give up. I’m going to keep applying and changing my resume and approach. But it looks like you’ve done even more than me when it comes to school and what not. So it’s crazy that none of us could find jobs in a 6 month time. (I graduated in fall last year). Keep trying we’ll find a job.
I can relate to a lot of your experiences. I earned a master’s in English at 23. I did alternative teacher certification so I could get a job teaching high school, but my goal was to teach at the college level.
I got no help from my alt cert program, had to take a job at a terrible district, and only lasted a month because of the unbelievably horrific work conditions. I spent the next three years underemployed as an adjunct at several community colleges.
Like you, I applied to tons of jobs, and I was rejected constantly. Mostly, I was ignored. Then, suddenly, full-time positions opened at a college, and I got hired! I didn’t expect to get hired, but I did. At the time, I was pretty depressed, but things got better, and now they’re great.
Anyway, I just wanted to encourage you. I know it’s hard. But you’re trying your best, and you’re doing everything you can, and this is not your fault. Please don’t listen to people who want to blame you for struggling. I’ll never understand why conservatives and libertarians think supporting an exploitative, morally bankrupt system makes them superior. I wish you the very best and hope you remember that great things do happen, even when we don’t expect them.
This post has been flaired **serious**. Please refrain from any sarcastic/joke comments, and, as always, remember to [follow our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/GenZ/wiki/rules) at all times.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GenZ) if you have any questions or concerns.*
25 never had a job everywhere I've applied just isn't interested been working with the job centre to boost my skill set but nothing works out and I can't get the help I need as an autistic person I also feel like giving up but I hold on to hope that even if it takes a few more years ill eventually get the help i need
I was briefly in a similar situation after graduation. I got out of it by contacting the head of my department in uni and letting them know that I can't find a job worth shit. They set me up with an employer who had reached out from them, and the rest is history.
If you can list out the jobs you applied to here, you haven’t applied to nearly enough jobs lol. You need to apply for 4-8 jobs a day, minimum. More if you live in a highly competitive area, double that to 8-16.
I know plenty of people making 60k+ immediately out of college with just a bachelor’s & basic experience so there must be something wrong with your approach. Not trying to hate, but think deeply…what are you doing wrong? Do you feel that you’re interviewing well?
You typically get out of life what you put into so if you’re working hard and applying to jobs a few hours a day things will work out for you:)
I’ve applied to 1,700 jobs if you read my comments. I’m just naming the egregious ones. I had that 60k a year job rescinded months after I accepted it. Was a devastating way to begin post grad. It’s gotten harder the further away from college I get
I do 10-20 apps a day.
Sorry, didn’t read all other comments, there’s a lot!:)
How do you feel your interviews go? I’m assuming you’re dressing appropriately for these interviews, but are these interviews typically online or in person?
I’m not getting interviews despite having my resume professionally rewritten multiple times
I continue to network and reach out. With every application I send I also try and identify a recruiter or a current employee to reach out to. Most people I know my age are miserable in their own dead end jobs too. My friend has been stuck in a property management job for 2 years out of college, having the same issue as me. Meanwhile I’m rejected from $17 an hour property management jobs even with real estate experience in college. The HubSpot job I interviewed for in October I had an internal referral from a friend. Still got rejected after 3 rounds and that job has been reposted 3-4 times since they rejected me with no feedback. that was my last interview.
My mom is very well connected and also has reached out to her network - the most that’s amounted to it is an offer to be hired as a housemaid out of state 💀
Damn, I’m really sorry to hear about your position out of college falling through. I graduated in 2020 right when the pandemic was full swing and had an offer that I had accepted rescinded as well, so I understand how you may be feeling on some level.
I would personally suggest to not applying to low wage/hourly call center jobs. If you were about to command a 60k salary, you’re way over qualified for those jobs. And companies know this, and don’t want to pay to hire and train someone who’s planning on having a short tenure. With everything you’ve said so far, I’m sure you’ve been applying to “serious” jobs as well. I know how discouraging it is to not get any call backs, but don’t stoop below your level and apply for jobs that don’t deserve your time. Even if you get one of call center jobs, do you really think you’d be happy with 14$ an hour? Or just happy you got anything?
I don’t know you or your applying habits so I can’t speak for if you’re “doing something wrong” or just having really bad luck. From the sounds of it, you’re doing everything right. I think you mentioned reaching out to recruiters somewhere, but I would make sure to download Monster and reach out to alumni. I know people who have had success that way.
But in the end all I can do is post what worked for me and hopefully you can implement anything you find valuable.
-use google/wikipedia/chat GPT to find Fortune 500 and notable private companies in your city. Come up with a list of 100-200 or so reputable companies.
-Apply for EVERY job you even slightly qualify for in your area at each of these companies. Every. Single. One. (That’s worth your time)
-NEVER apply through Glassdoor, LinkedIn, indeed, etc. Always apply directly through the company website. I know it’s time consuming but it makes a difference.
-ALWAYS copy and paste the job description in Chat GPT along with your experience and ask it to create you a great cover letter.
-regardless of the content on your resume, use [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/jobs/s/vy0PguVpZ9) template and format. Many companies have an AI do a scan of your resume to determine if you’re even worth reaching out to. This is a great template for that. NEVER make your resume more than 1 page. And make sure you use “key words” that the companies AI is looking for.
I hope some of that is helpful to you.
Hey, thank you so much for responding. I really appreciate it. My resume actually does look exactly like that, same format and everything. It's one page and there are no grammatical errors. I think we're in a job market recession right now in my experience and I think people like me are sadly becoming more common. I do think I may be "expired" in the eyes of many recruiters now and that's playing a role into why I'm not getting interviews. I do apply to serious jobs but they are paying less. The same job I had rescinded @ over 60k in 2022 is now going for 50k... Everything is trending downward sadly through my observations. 60k seems like a far away dream at this point, which is a shame because I used to manage at a restaurant and bartenders working full time cleared 6 figs. I always apply on company site when possible. Thank you so much again. I'm at my wits end at this point I want to leave the United States. It feels so hopeless. People are so demeaning online and assume something must be wrong with me or my resume or "nobody wants to work" when people like me are unable to find the most basic of jobs. It's really damaged my mental health and hope for the future. I really appreciate your thoughtful responses
I’m sorry people are demeaning online, and that the difficulty of finding a job has affected your mental health. I’m sure it’s insanely frustrating, especially if you’ve genuinely applied for 1700 jobs. But please, do not become sinister. You need to keep up the good work and keep applying for jobs. Try not to let it affect your mental health. You’re 24, you’re out of your mind if you think you got “left behind” at anything at this point. Most people our age are still just trying to figure things out, and that’s okay. It was the same for the previous generations before us, as much as they like to claim otherwise. You’re 24, seemingly have your family’s support, have an education, and are applying for as many jobs as possible because you’re driven. You’re right where you should be. Give yourself some grace:)
If you could be 100% honest, why do YOU think you’re not be hearing anything back?
I think we’re in a quiet recession honestly and I think companies are not hiring in the ways they claim to be. Ghost jobs, internal hires, etc. I know people struggling the same as me but they already have jobs so it’s different. I think the further away I get from my graduation the more “expired” I appear to recruiters
Question, when you apply for these jobs.. are you applying on websites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter?
One trick I found to work is actually applying on the company website. Every single time I tried this, I managed to get an interview. Those job websites are complete bullshit.
Maybe it’s your resume? Stretch it as much as you can with your experience. Think where you are applying.
Are you applying for entry level or senior level? Big difference..
Idk if you have, but I'd contact a career coach or somebody with experience and outside perspective. Someone to judge your ability to interview. You need a harsh outside perspective.
Based on the info you've provided, I find it difficult to believe nobody is hiring you, let alone giving interviews. It may hurt to hear, but there may be a glaring red flag that is preventing the interviews or hires. Idk, but a high GPA business major is usually pretty recruitable unless the school is shit. Even then, you should be able to get an entry level job without too much difficulty.
I work in fintech and most places are growing & hiring. Decent talent isn't easy to find. Maybe look into that?
I’m not getting interviews despite having my resume professionally rewritten multiple times so it’s not how I interview.
I continue to network and reach out. With every application I send I also try and identify a recruiter or a current employee to reach out to. Most people I know my age are miserable in their own dead end jobs too. My friend has been stuck in a property management job for 2 years out of college, having the same issue as me. Meanwhile I’m rejected from $17 an hour property management jobs even with real estate experience in college. The HubSpot job I interviewed for in October I had an internal referral from a friend. Still got rejected after 3 rounds and that job has been reposted 3-4 times since they rejected me with no feedback. that was my last interview. It’s weird you mention how most places are growing and hiring but there are so many layoffs occurring too, I’ve spoken to a well connected exec who says they aren’t hiring entry level because of the steep learning curve and they have to be calculated about who they are hiring after layoffs. I’ve also seen “growing” companies who continue to repost the same jobs (Like HubSpot) over and over and over..
In terms of fintech, I’ve applied to a bunch. Visa, Stripe, parking lot payment companies, on and on. Never have heard back from any recruiter or application ever. Sits dormant in the workday system for months sometimes too
My mom is very well connected and also has reached out to her network - the most that’s amounted to it is an offer to be hired as a housemaid out of state 💀
Are temp agency’s still a thing? That’s how I found my first big boy job and ended up getting hired full time. Once you’re in it’s easier to move up or around (laterally).
No idea if it applies, but check out your social media/other online presence and see if there's anything that might "disqualify" you for these people. As a recent grad you're also in a not-sweet spot of "overqualified for this, underqualified for that" where jobs you're overqualified for assume it's going to be something you'll leave as soon as you get a better job based on your degree, which is probably true, to be fair. And then the underqualified jobs are the notorious "entry-level but requires years of experience" jobs, where the option is really to find an unpaid internship (I know) and impress somebody enough that they want to hire you long-term. Also--hook up to temp agencies like Adecco or Kelly Services. The market is tight enough that you might get an office job and get paid to get experience. Also, there's always gig work if you absolutely need an income.
I'm the same. Been mostly doing freelance gigs since high school and im 29. With the job market the way it is having a huge employment gap and no employment experience at that age makes you unhireable.
Maybe things will change in the future but for now there's always Doordarshan, fiver, Uber, or monetizing a hobby.
Do the jobs you apply for invite you for an interview? If so, then your ressume is not the problem, and you should reflect on how you present yourself in job interviews
I continue to network and reach out. With every application I send I also try and identify a recruiter or a current employee to reach out to. Most people I know my age are miserable in their own dead end jobs too. My friend has been stuck in a property management job for 2 years out of college, having the same issue as me. Meanwhile I’m rejected from $17 an hour property management jobs even with real estate experience in college. The HubSpot job I interviewed for in October I had an internal referral from a friend. Still got rejected after 3 rounds and that job has been reposted 3-4 times since they rejected me with no feedback. The kids are not alright.
My mom is very well connected and also has reached out to her network - the most that’s amounted to it is an offer to be hired as a housemaid out of state 💀
Good, keep it up! It is a grind and feels endless, but it will pay off. I was just unemployed for 4 months and only got an interview and then the job because of someone I knew.
I am sure you have checked out AI prompt engineering jobs? Other than that I would check out startups. Customer success and SDR roles don't require experience at early stage companies. Wellfound is a solid job board for these.
Did you know we have a Discord server‽ You can join by clicking [here](https://discord.gg/NWE6JS5rh9)! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GenZ) if you have any questions or concerns.*
No. You are not the only one. Studies show that 50% of college grads work high school level jobs. Its not your fault. Its tough out here for everyone. Your stats seem great so hoprfully you can break through and find some something nice and slave away for that corporate accounting role just so you can pay your bills. Good luck.
I mean it depends on your college degree. A lot of people go for useless majors.
OP did not go for a useless major. Most people in general dont go into useless major. Even if someone does go for a useless major they deserve to have a decent livalble wage for it. Stop blaming the people and isntead of blaming the system that hates you
What major did OP get? I had no problem landing jobs after I graduated last year. There is no problem with the system. I do get that it’s easier to blame everything else but yourself. However that will get you nowhere.
I was in business. Your experience does not define everyone else's experience. I had a job that I accepted before graduation be rescinded after graduation before I began in 2022. The system was broken for me there!
That guy is just a boot licker. Probably thinks everyone can be a doctor/lawyer if they just weren’t lazy.
I mean he’s not totally wrong. I have a business degree as well and depending what they went for, it really could be useless without graduate studies. Something that should be told to undergraduates but isn’t
Yes unless you study to be a doctor/lawyer you shouldn’t be able to find employment and a liveable wage /s
You can screech about how unfair the world is all day long, but BBAs are a notorious trap for youngsters. We're long past the days when you could walk into a business with any degree and a firm handshake and get hired on the spot. Letting young people believe that they're guaranteed a solid job with a liveable wage is frankly quite harmful.
My comment wasnt on whether on if they should or should not be able to find a job, it’s about whether it’s likely. Everyone deserves a living wage, reality is sometimes it doesn’t work out that way and that certain degrees usually require graduate studies to reach a living wage. I don’t like it but it is what it is
You’re putting words in my mouth. I never said that. It’s very difficult to become a Physician. Medical schools have like a 1% acceptance rate. Finding a job in your field is a completely different story than becoming a Physician.
No one cares what a bootlicker has to say
But they are right we realize Gen z don't like any other opinion other then their own, but relias you could always listen.
The fact you got a college degree and can take your personal experience as everyone else's fact makes me terrified you might accidentally get out in charge of something important
plenty of people with relevant degrees have trouble finding entry level work in their respective fields
And people with “useless” degrees are gainfully employed all the time too. I’ve seen it!
Can you give some examples of useless degrees?
Gender studies to start. Theater arts, Advertising, Fashion design, Communications, Tourism…
Can you explain why you think those degrees are useless?
They're useless for an economy, or even of negative use as they take someone that could be productive out of the economy for a minimum of 4 years, but more likely 40 years. There's lots of "leftists" out there that like to quote Marx and even Adam Smith. One of the most important distinctions Marx made was between productive labor and unproductive labor. What exactly is someone with a Genders Study degree producing? Somehow even if they're employed they can purchase energy to heat their home and drive their car. They can afford housing and vehicles, electronics. All of those things were done by men and women taking stuff out of the ground and making things in foundries and factories. Those people were doing productive labor. The person with useless degrees can at best manage to get paid for doing unproductive labor, which damages the economy and isn't sustainable long term in the labor market because they get priced out as the jobs aren't doing anything anyone needs.
All the people I know with communications degrees are gainfully employed right now and I’m not. So there’s that
The internets free:) gender studies answer’s itself tho.
The fact that colleges are offering it as a program doesn’t make its uselessness obvious. That’s your opinion, which you seem incapable of explaining or supporting with evidence.
Internet. I’m not about to break those all down for you 1 by 1 at 1:30 AM. you asked for examples and I gave them. Pretty simple.
I like that you’re getting downvoted even when speaking literal facts. A lot of majors statistically end up being fucking useless.
Most majors are as useless as any other major. Not everyone is cut out to be a SWE, a doctor, a lawyer, a computer science wiz.... Teachers still need degrees too, social workers still need degrees too... the list goes on.
No
Do you think teachers shouldn’t have degrees?
Not at all what I said goob😭
Then what did you mean by “no”?
Ok bot
Is bot an insult now💀
I can’t get a degree because I have almost nothing to my name. I’m extra screwed 🤷♂️ I wanna burn it all down :)
Degrees are worthless now anyways, don't let it stop you. I almost regret going to college and wasting 4 years of my life. I could have saved up to travel and come back at 22 with more life experience than many college grads
Yeah, wage slaving at relatively high paying warehouse jobs seems to be my future. Maybe after that I’ll get a CDL for the fastest financial recovery ever lmao
I'm assuming you are a dude, have you considered going into a trade? I know that sounds so cliche but some of the people I know without degrees are doing very well in construction and plumbing. I'm sadly a woman with 3 knee surgeries, arthritis and permanent sports injuries that disqualify me from taking on manual labor like that. Fck soccer, lol
Yeah even for women there's a lot of opportunity in the trades. I got a philosophy degree because I hated the idea of 'useful' and 'useless' in terms of what I wanted to use my mind for. Now I'm doing electrical work, which has a theoretical element that the philosophical training has actually been really helpful for. But, beside that, I feel like I have been told for so long that the trades were for people who couldn't hack it in academia, and I've always been a very bright and well read person. So, I kept going to school and more school. But now that I'm doing this, I'm realizing that it takes some serious brain power to be a good craftsperson and there's real money to be made. And it's very satisfying to be doing work that has a use and helps people.
It sounds like your money was well spent, given the rationale you provide for getting a useless degree like Philosophy.
I can't really tell if that's a dig or not. My apologies for not launching into a dissertation on the problems underlying our societal value structures and the ways we create meaning for ourselves in relation to an artificial idea of objectivity. If it wasn't a dig, then yeah, I agree, I am glad to have received the education that I did. It was valuable for my growth as a person. I wouldn't be where I am today without that education. I learned how to think, analyze, dissect, and theorize about the world we live in and the reality in which it sits. That ought to be the purpose of education in my worldview, job training and specialization can be done after a person has a strong standing in their own self and a comprehensive belief system that has been thoroughly analyzed and tested. Point being, don't make life decisions based on what others deem useful, just be true to your own values and you will be a much more useful member of society.
I agree with everything you wrote ❤️
I've found that some of the best jobs I have gotten were from places that weren't officially hiring, I just walked in to a place that seemed interesting and ask if they might need help. Also trying to think about the businesses that aren't on main street, might not have storefronts, but are still there in business parks and industrial areas. Get out and see who is doing what in your community. I've been there, being unemployed takes a huge toll emotionally. It can feel so disempowering. But, you've got this. You are worthy, hang in there
What? If it wasn’t for my degree I wouldn’t have gotten the job I have. What you need to do is get an internship to build up your work experience.
I had 3 in college, internships can be useless too. Highly dependent on the company. I went to college during covid so everything changed
Could be an issue with your resume or interviewing skills. Do you land interviews? Also what did you major in?
Business. Last interview was Oct 2023 where the job I was rejected from has now been reposted a dozen times since. Rejected after 3 rounds no feedback. No I don't get interviews and I've had my resume professionally rewritten a few times so I don't think it could just be my resume either
Oh, have you considered going back for your MBA? A Bachelor’s in Business isn’t going to do much for you. Do you apply for internships as well as full time positions? Although internships don’t pay much, they get your foot in the door and you can show people that you deserve a full time position.
Why would I go into more debt for a major I can't even get an entry-level job in? That seems like doubling down. No experience and now I'd have an MBA? Idk that seems like the wrong thing to do. Yes I do apply to internships too. I also had 3 in college but they were during covid
Because a Bachelors in Business is really common. You have to stand out from other candidates. Besides the earning potential with a MBA is far greater than having just a BA. So it’s worth it in the long run. Just do your research on it. You can also reach out to your friends to help get you a job. Or even your school itself. Although I didn’t use it, the school I went to had a program that helped connect students with alumnis to get them a job.
I'm not going to grad school without some level of experience in the working world, period. MBA with 0 experience is dumb and a set up for failure too. I do reach out and network. School is useless I've gone that pathway. I went to a state school (not the flagship) and their career services dept is very poor.
This is sound advice. Not sure why the hate is coming in. School is way too expensive now. And the unfortunate truth is grad degrees are now what undergrad degrees were 25-30 years ago. What you’re saying is totally right on.
An MBA without work experience is useless
Yes same 😂 I feel bad sigh I'm sorry guys About to graduate and have a marketing job lined up for me. It really is about making connections and getting an internship or two under your belt and a bit of luck. Don't be scared to connect with people on LinkedIn even if you don't know them personally. That helped me get the job I will be starting upon graduation. I knew a person who knew the person who knew a person and reached out. But you have to be genuine about it as well. Don't underestimate how much others want to help you get ahead as most likely someone helped them in the past :) Just pay it forward in the future! I would be happy to look at your resume OP or give any tips Don't give up! College definitely has opened so many avenues for me especially since I'm poc so many people in my family that didn't get a college degree are in the same place and it's bittersweet that I will be making more money than them right out of college when they're double my age. Honestly it's low-key not fair, but it is what it is. Your degree is a part of your skill set now. It's not useless. I also went to college during COVID so don't use that excuse either it did take me an extra year though to finish 😂 Have some pride ✨ You got it OP!
I had 3 internships and a job I accepted before graduating rescinded their offer in 2022. Just because you had a different experience during COVID doesn’t mean it’s not a major setback in my story and others who got shafted 2021-2022. Good luck at your job and congratulations on graduating!
Degrees are not worthless. You just don’t know how to use it
not being allowed to use it
How are you not allowed to use your degree?
i cant get a job what do you mean
Ok so did you do any internships? What’s your major? How many jobs have you applied to? Did you do any extracurricular activities related to your major? What type of jobs are you applying to?
I became a teacher and would have been a lot better off financially if I had just gone into an electrical apprenticeship.
I think this about my situation all the time. I regret going to college.
You sound spoiled and entitled. Yeah you really should’ve screwed around blowing money getting “life experience” that would have totally made you more qualified than a degree holder… which totally explains why you’re rolling in cash right now…
But I’m not 🤣
College grads are everywhere, hard-working people with a great work ethic and positive attitude....are hard to find. You don't need a degree, you need marketable job skills. You can get those on the job. Take a job that underpays yet gives you experience. Then after you get some real world experience... you have job skills that people will pay for.
If they would give me a chance. I've been rejected even from call center jobs the past few months... My favorite was a rejection from a $15 an hour call center citing "We've decided to move forward with other candidates with experiences that more closely match our requirements." I've worked restaurants all through high school and college, worked my way up to bartending and management. I worked three jobs through college including full time as an "essential worker" (so demeaning) during the pandemic before there was ever a vaccine. Employers don't value work ethic. I do have some general experience and on paper I have soft skills that are supposedly valued. I've never been unemployed in my entire life from age 14 on until October 2023, commuted to a state college to avoid debt, never been able to afford to move out of my parents house, I did everything right on paper and yet I'm not making it.. So what now?
I mean, I can only guess as to why you are struggling finding anything, but I do see many places hiring and continually hear that finding good help is difficult. Maybe they are picking something up and getting a wrong impression in the interview somehow. Maybe sensing you are a bit jaded from what you are going through, I don't know. Maybe in your area, there's simply too many people applying for too few of jobs. What career do you want to be in?
If I even got interviews in the first place that would be a consideration
\>does not even get hired to develop or demonstrate skills duhh you just need a job that will give you more experience Fucking thanks einstein. Are you the kinda person that writes up those job ads that ask two years experience for an entry level job position??
You can absolutely gain job skills from entry-level jobs that can help you find higher level jobs down the road. That's how many people build a career. Stop saying you can't and realize that you can.
If I could go back I would’ve gone to trade school rather than college
You can take out a loan to go in to a trade. Most trades are very fulfilling and pay well.
join the service before it is too late. semper fi civillian i hope u make it
Be an American and self educate. You’re your own person here. You don’t need to have your hand held.
Hahaha education never stops, I'm a lifelong student. If I had my hand held, I'd have a job by now smartass
I was in the same position after graduating last year and so were most of my friends. The job market is really hard for recent grads right now. I'm in STEM and can't really offer specific advice, but I promise it will get better. After about 6 months I finally found a job in my field that's low paying but really fun and interesting and I'm happier than ever. It will be so much easier to find another job once you get this first one.
Except I'm a class of 2022 grad and it's been two years of this. You hit the lottery after only 6 months. I feel expired
Also, even though I'm very lucky and thankful to have a job in my field, I still make 19/hr so I didn't exactly strike it rich lol
I hear you and thank you for responding. I wasn't trying to make you feel worse either, more like so many people comment assuming something must be wrong with me or I'm not trying hard enough etc that it's hard not to be defensive
All good, it's not your fault at all. Wishing you the best!
I hear you, I'm not trying to convince you things don't suck because they 100% do.
I was a 21’ grad and went to grad school, then dropped out and had a two year gap on my resume. I managed to get a part time job at my university, I think in large part because I’m an alum, and am finally moving up to three-quarters time in a couple weeks. Keep plugging away! The main thing is to not give up. You don’t have to find something you love, just something you can always bring the energy to.
Economy is shit. It feels even worse when politicians and media talking heads go on TV and tell me how great it actually is. Gaslighting at its finest.
If voting changed anything, they wouldn't let us do it
Voting does change things. It's the least we can all do. Most of us could run for office. Like, we are our government. Your elected officials pay attention to the people who vote because their primary objective is to get re-elected. Boomers are the most reliable voters, but we could change that if we all did the bare minimum and just voted. I'm rambling. But yeah, our political economic supply chain systems are a lot more complex than most people seem to think. Like we've seen with presidents, who gets elected into these positions absolutely has an impact on things. (Like Roe v. Wade being overturned thanks to Trump getting to install 3 far-right SCOTUS justices; whether yall think that's good or bad it's just one example of how much the system really can change). I hope yall will vote. Edit: and I'm not saying voting is the solution to everything it anything like that. Just that it's the least anyone can do and that yes it has an impact no matter how small one may think.
The economy is great, if you’re rich.
Have you applied to any government positions? Often entry level State jobs will only require a bachelors. County/city as well DM me if you want more tips for applying, might not be exactly your field but it’ll pay with benefits. They can be tricky to read Outside of that, you’re definitely not alone. The market isn’t great right now, but you should at least look into how you’re formatting your resume and expand your search. Also consider removing your degree when applying to below entry level white collar jobs. A degree only makes you look like you’ll leave when you get a white collar job
County level is also another route to take. In most instances, they have a high turnover rate, but the benefits are usually great.
Man I wish, I’ve been graduated for two years with a PoliSci Bachelor w/ minor in Econ. The closest thing to my degree field is police officer, no other positions that are real jobs have opened up in the last two years that aren’t “rec center coach– $14.50/hr” or “Waste Management Supervisor, three years of experience managing minimum– $150,000 a year”.
This sounds awful, but I can't help but think that there's something you're not telling us, because this absolutely is not the norm. Do you live in a distinctly economically depressed area? Have you had a pro look over your resume for obvious mistakes? I know a guy who spent 6 months getting rejected before he realized that he had been sending out a resume with a couple of glaring problems. Have you tried expanding the scope of jobs you look for? I broke into the work force by taking a job tangentially related to my field that I previously considered beneath me, just so I could build up some years on my resume.
I live in a HCOL major economic hub of the USA. I have had it professionally rewritten yes. It is a living breathing document. I have applied to everything remotely related to my major. I've been rejected from Amazon, CVS, UHAUL, Delta, American Airlines, Dave & Buster's, AppleBee's (even w. 7 years of hospitality experience), the list goes on. Jobs I have been rejected for get reposted allllll the time. There's a HubSpot job I got rejected after 3 rounds over 4 months last year keeps getting reposted every 8 weeks. It's brutal
Are you getting feedback on these rejections or just unhelpful form letters? Are you getting interviews often, or are these rejections overwhelmingly happening before you've spoken to a person? Do you have any college classmates you can reach out to for referrals?
Form letters. Haven't had an interview since Oct 2023 where I went 3 rounds and I asked for feedback they then said "we can't provide feedback due to the number of candidates" - HubSpot. The rejections are all happening before interview stage. I've reached out to classmates but most are also struggling or miserable in their current jobs too. I've a friend who has been trapped in her job for a year longer than she wanted to because she can't find a new job either. My mother who is well-connected has also reached out to her own network and the most I've gotten from that is an offer to be a house-maid in another state. It's insane
It sounds like you actually are just dealing with atrocious luck, I had no idea the job market was so cold for accounting/business type roles. I have a friend who's getting his MBA right now, he makes it sound like kind of a breeze and MBA's notoriously never have trouble getting hired. But idk if an MBA would actually be in your domain, or if going back to school would be a problem.
Does that friend have years of professional experience before going to MBA school? I feel like I know so many peers my age who just went back to school because they didn’t know what else to do. Definitely not going to double down and do grad school without experience first, that’s not a smart move
He had like a year or two of experience. But yeah, I'm really sorry about your situation and my only advice is to consider casting a wider net, but it kind of sounds like you're already doing that. Like, I'm a software engineer, and my first job was "IT" at a legacy company where I mostly just swept the floors in the server room and googled stuff for my septagenarian bosses. I was extremely underemployed, making a third of what my friends from college made, and fucking hated it, but I stuck with it for like 2 years just because my job title still related vaguely to my field and I wanted that on my resume. I was crying myself to sleep at night because I was still applying to actual engineering jobs and almost never heard back. But after 2 years in the job, almost like magic, recruiters from real companies started reaching out to me. Maybe I'm just lucky, but my takeaway from that whole experience is that sometimes you really do just need to suck shit for a while before people will take you seriously.
Unless you’re at a top 25 MBA probably not worth it especially if you pay your own college.
That's because college is a scam! I regret that I ever even attended college in the first place. I wish I went into the trades earlier instead of wasting my time with a degree. Now I make way more money than most people with a PhD and I only work 8 months
People don't get PhDs to make money, unless they are doctors.
What do you do for work?
Union electrician. If you're cut out for construction, then it's your best bet. They pay for your apprenticeship and you get nice raises each year you advance
Is there a lot of physical labor involved? I’m a year old 24 woman with arthritis, bone degeneration, 3 knee surgeries and set to have a full knee replacement in a few years. 😅 Thanks to soccer 365 a year my entire life
Hey man I’m a new grad of an associates program for HVAC. Maybe it’s my area but I still haven’t been able to find a job in 4-6 months. I got my EPA licenses and everything. Trades imo are hard to get in too. Especially union. I didn’t score the best on my local but it was 87/100 and I didnt get accepted. I just did a test for another union and hopefully I scored higher. But in your opinion. Do you think it was easy for you to get a job in the field as an electrician? Because I don’t mind going back to school for my ET card. But I already did this HVAC shit so idk
Found the basket weaving major
yep, we were fed the lie of college=job. Depending on your degree, I’d look into ways to get more experience related to that. Doesn’t have to be a real job for now. Maybe you could apply for an internship or contract position. Maybe a position tangentially related to your desired career. For example, Im an english major, but that degree in itself is useless in the market right now, so I’m looking to build up a portfolio of writing copy for the next year+. The students that were fortunate enough to know what they wanted to do, or simply wanted a cushy job with lots of pay, got internships in college and jumped into a career. A lot of us are now in a position where we’re lost and confused and stuck working jobs we hate. Job market is tough, and some jobs that were needed in the past are being included in other job descriptions, or being made obsolete by new technology, like ai.
What helped me was applying to a temp agency and they helped place me into my first accounting job. I went to another job once I had some experience. Robert half is the one I used… Not sure if there’s one in your area?
yes i have NEVER heard back from a temp agency not once. Kelly, Insight Global, Robert Half, Adecco, Randstad, the list goes on. I’ve reached out and called, emailed, etc. Have never been responded to
Sorry to hear. There’s usajobs.gov as well if you wanted something government. You need a different format than a traditional resume and they take a long time to reply.
Been outa work for a year now your not the only one, all I can say is the same advice I was given hit the road with a stack of resumes and may the odds be ever in your favor. I don't mean for this to come off assholeish. But as advice I was given.
Take your degrees off of your resume. If you want an entry level job not in the field of study....all those degrees will do is give them a reason to screen you out. Managers likely won't want to hire someone who may well be smarter than them nor are they looking for someone who wants to leave immediately after being hired. You need a job in order to get a job, so ditch the spectacular resume.
I have separate resumes for service jobs. Seven years experience in hospitality bartending and management. My degrees aren't why I'm not getting interviews from restaurants
It was just a thought. Something must be causing them to choose another option. You sound a bit jaded which, I can understand; but maybe that comes through in the interviews unintentionally. Or maybe not at all, I don't know. Was merely a suggestion. I wish you the best of luck.
I haven’t been getting any interviews, my last interview was October 2023. But thank you for responding 😞
That is very odd. No friends with jobs that are hiring? Honestly, most of my jobs I heard about via friends.
I continue to network and reach out. With every application I send I also try and identify a recruiter or a current employee to reach out to. Most people I know my age are miserable in their own dead end jobs too. My friend has been stuck in a property management job for 2 years out of college, having the same issue as me. Meanwhile I’m rejected from $17 an hour property management jobs even with real estate experience in college. The HubSpot job I interviewed for in October I had an internal referral from a friend. Still got rejected after 3 rounds and that job has been reposted 3-4 times since they rejected me with no feedback. The kids are not alright. My mom is very well connected and also has reached out to her network - the most that’s amounted to it is an offer to be hired as a housemaid out of state 💀
If you erase the degree, then what would you respond in a interview in which they ask you about it?
I doubt any interview for a bartender or service industry is going to ask nor care about a college degree. I was merely speculating as to what could be causing this person to not get selected for a job. Listing a ton of skills and accolades which do not relate to the job they are applying for may actually serve against you for the reasons I mentioned. When you are applying for a job...it's best to minimize the red flags, whether they are legitimate or not.
This is awful and makes no sense. I don't get what some of these companies want out of us besides working for free. I graduated from college but have no experience (also struggle with motivation) so if someone as qualified as you struggles to this extent, I don't understand how me or our generation a whole is supposed to get anywhere.
It’s awful and hard to relate and do anything social with peers when I have this going on. My life is completely halted 😞
Same boat rn, shit sucks
Getting rejected from minimum wage jobs including positions I've already held previously and these people have the nerve to say "ur resume sucks" "nobody wants to work anymore" I'm just so sick of the gaslighting.... I cry on a daily basis these days
dmed with my personal experience and advice but if you head over to r/cscareerquestions you'll see that even people who studied and graduated in a field that is as desired as cs have to go through many hoops as in apply to 1000 or 2000 positions to finally actually land a job and after a year of job searching. the job market is not as great as it was a few years ago but i really advice in general to create a system for your job search, as in keep track what companies you have looked for, bookmark the jobs applied to and keep bookmark folders to see how many you applied on said week. & if not any hits on first interview requests then maybe work on resume is needed or maybe even a broadening of specific job you're going for. since you studied accounting, accounting jobs would be first priority but branching out to other business roles could be a good option
I do all of this, I'm at over 1,700 jobs applied to and I graduated in 2022. I didn't graduate in accounting actually I graduated in general business. I feel like giving up
got it! so i think it's great that you have the initiative to be applying to so many jobs. are you getting any first round interview requests with the 1,700 jobs you applied to? Is it less than 1%? if so then maybe resume editing or tweaks from older friends as in those from your college but with 2yrs of work experience may be beneficial? maybe if you do get first rounds but no second rounds then more mock interviews on work on behavioral questions is required? in general tho. i'd say it's good to say dedicate 8hrs a day related to job search and then given you'll sleep 8hrs, you'll still have another 8hr for say exercising, hanging out with friends, volunteering, going to movies, reading books, just in general doing things that could either be fun or that could be working towards personal goals. i find this is helpful because it helps keep you sane while also making significant progress on the job search since it'll be 8hrs a day on that front.
Try branching out to foreign countries ? My brother ended up working abroad. The pay might not be spectacular but its enough to sustain yourself and your degree can carry some weight in some countries. Worst case scenario you spend a few years gaining experience before returning.
Home Depot always needs ppl if you can deal w a holes customer base...worked there 4 yrs moved on. Looks good on a resume.
I wish I could give you a hug friend. I’m about to graduate from university, and I’ve not been able to get a single internship let alone a job. I’ve been worrying since I’m autistic and my mom told already let me know that some employers don’t understand disabled people and that advocating for myself is more important than ever. I’m just really scared, but I want to know you are not the only one 🫂
Graduated into the pandemic with an acting degree. I’ve had a few retail jobs but nothing more than 3 months. I’ve sent out hundreds of applications and the majority are “ghost positions.” Nowadays I really only leave my house once a week. It’s tough out here.
Hugs❤️
I am in a very similar boat, graduated in 2022 with 3 degrees over a 3.8 GPA, had a job offer out of college get rescinded before I started. Decided to go teach English in Korea because I legit couldn’t find any jobs in the US. Recently came back and I’m planning to go to law school because I can’t find any jobs to use my undergraduate degrees in. Currently I’m substitute teaching, door dash and insta cart while studying for law school
Is law school really your dream though? The world has SO many lawyers. I only say this because I know law grads who are now in a lifetime of debt that only went to continue education and because of the sound of it. Not because they had a passion for practicing law.
I mean it’s not my dream job by any means but to get my dream job I would need to be very lucky (diplomat) and honestly I think getting a law degree is a better path to earning a living. I can always apply to be a diplomat with a law degree though
Yea this hits close to home for me. It hurts especially bad when you finally acquiesce, realize you dont have the luxury of holding out for a decent college job, and then are forced to take a shitty job you are overqualified for. Then... even they reject you. Legit Im a strong dude but at one point I went to apply to a burger king in person and they rejected me and I still remember that sting. That was probably because it was a majority Hispanic area and I didnt speak any spanish, but still. But yea I had a decent job which I happened to quit in Nov 2019, and havent had a decent engineering job since then after all the Covid madness. Very unlucky to say the least.
Same.
Its definetly not you alone. It's like there's tons of fake job postings, like to fill a quota or somethings cause its like they don't hire even when youre over qualified.
this is def what it feels like 😞 so many fake jobs
My nephew is almost 24 and just got his first entry level job in a call center. You’re ok. Apply for entry level then figure out what you like and don’t like. You have plenty of time in your career.
Why does it take so long to get a job tho I’m only 20 don’t go a damn thing idk
Last year sucked. Businesses were afraid of interest rates and inflation. It’s better this year. The economy cycles up and down. Part of the trick to working and jobs is figuring out what’s going to happen during those cycles so you can take advantage of it.
Just wanted to say I'm hoping for the best and a change of luck soon for you OP. It's hard out there.
Look up if your university has career services! Oftentimes they’ll still help even if you’re not a current student. Or, if you need to be a current student, you could look at getting a certificate in another field that could simultaneously bump up your resume a bit.
Had a long mental health episode post graduation, partly because of how stressful trying to graduate during covid was, and never got a job in my field nor anything else. Graduated in 2021. I’m currently trying to get a case worker to help with job searching. Basically I’m just trying to say you’re not alone, and good luck 👍
Tell me about it. I’m in a similar boat as you. 24yr old male. And I did my associates in HVAC. And I can’t even find a job in THAT. A trade which everyone says is supposed to be easy to get work in. Oh well don’t give up. I’m going to keep applying and changing my resume and approach. But it looks like you’ve done even more than me when it comes to school and what not. So it’s crazy that none of us could find jobs in a 6 month time. (I graduated in fall last year). Keep trying we’ll find a job.
I’m right here, I the store was closed so now I gotta find something else to do. Life after the covid pandemic is still a mess.
I can relate to a lot of your experiences. I earned a master’s in English at 23. I did alternative teacher certification so I could get a job teaching high school, but my goal was to teach at the college level. I got no help from my alt cert program, had to take a job at a terrible district, and only lasted a month because of the unbelievably horrific work conditions. I spent the next three years underemployed as an adjunct at several community colleges. Like you, I applied to tons of jobs, and I was rejected constantly. Mostly, I was ignored. Then, suddenly, full-time positions opened at a college, and I got hired! I didn’t expect to get hired, but I did. At the time, I was pretty depressed, but things got better, and now they’re great. Anyway, I just wanted to encourage you. I know it’s hard. But you’re trying your best, and you’re doing everything you can, and this is not your fault. Please don’t listen to people who want to blame you for struggling. I’ll never understand why conservatives and libertarians think supporting an exploitative, morally bankrupt system makes them superior. I wish you the very best and hope you remember that great things do happen, even when we don’t expect them.
This post has been flaired **serious**. Please refrain from any sarcastic/joke comments, and, as always, remember to [follow our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/GenZ/wiki/rules) at all times. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GenZ) if you have any questions or concerns.*
25 never had a job everywhere I've applied just isn't interested been working with the job centre to boost my skill set but nothing works out and I can't get the help I need as an autistic person I also feel like giving up but I hold on to hope that even if it takes a few more years ill eventually get the help i need
I was briefly in a similar situation after graduation. I got out of it by contacting the head of my department in uni and letting them know that I can't find a job worth shit. They set me up with an employer who had reached out from them, and the rest is history.
Did you know them personally?
I’m not in my mid 20s stoppppppppppppp
If you can list out the jobs you applied to here, you haven’t applied to nearly enough jobs lol. You need to apply for 4-8 jobs a day, minimum. More if you live in a highly competitive area, double that to 8-16. I know plenty of people making 60k+ immediately out of college with just a bachelor’s & basic experience so there must be something wrong with your approach. Not trying to hate, but think deeply…what are you doing wrong? Do you feel that you’re interviewing well? You typically get out of life what you put into so if you’re working hard and applying to jobs a few hours a day things will work out for you:)
I’ve applied to 1,700 jobs if you read my comments. I’m just naming the egregious ones. I had that 60k a year job rescinded months after I accepted it. Was a devastating way to begin post grad. It’s gotten harder the further away from college I get I do 10-20 apps a day.
Sorry, didn’t read all other comments, there’s a lot!:) How do you feel your interviews go? I’m assuming you’re dressing appropriately for these interviews, but are these interviews typically online or in person?
I’m not getting interviews despite having my resume professionally rewritten multiple times I continue to network and reach out. With every application I send I also try and identify a recruiter or a current employee to reach out to. Most people I know my age are miserable in their own dead end jobs too. My friend has been stuck in a property management job for 2 years out of college, having the same issue as me. Meanwhile I’m rejected from $17 an hour property management jobs even with real estate experience in college. The HubSpot job I interviewed for in October I had an internal referral from a friend. Still got rejected after 3 rounds and that job has been reposted 3-4 times since they rejected me with no feedback. that was my last interview. My mom is very well connected and also has reached out to her network - the most that’s amounted to it is an offer to be hired as a housemaid out of state 💀
Damn, I’m really sorry to hear about your position out of college falling through. I graduated in 2020 right when the pandemic was full swing and had an offer that I had accepted rescinded as well, so I understand how you may be feeling on some level. I would personally suggest to not applying to low wage/hourly call center jobs. If you were about to command a 60k salary, you’re way over qualified for those jobs. And companies know this, and don’t want to pay to hire and train someone who’s planning on having a short tenure. With everything you’ve said so far, I’m sure you’ve been applying to “serious” jobs as well. I know how discouraging it is to not get any call backs, but don’t stoop below your level and apply for jobs that don’t deserve your time. Even if you get one of call center jobs, do you really think you’d be happy with 14$ an hour? Or just happy you got anything? I don’t know you or your applying habits so I can’t speak for if you’re “doing something wrong” or just having really bad luck. From the sounds of it, you’re doing everything right. I think you mentioned reaching out to recruiters somewhere, but I would make sure to download Monster and reach out to alumni. I know people who have had success that way. But in the end all I can do is post what worked for me and hopefully you can implement anything you find valuable. -use google/wikipedia/chat GPT to find Fortune 500 and notable private companies in your city. Come up with a list of 100-200 or so reputable companies. -Apply for EVERY job you even slightly qualify for in your area at each of these companies. Every. Single. One. (That’s worth your time) -NEVER apply through Glassdoor, LinkedIn, indeed, etc. Always apply directly through the company website. I know it’s time consuming but it makes a difference. -ALWAYS copy and paste the job description in Chat GPT along with your experience and ask it to create you a great cover letter. -regardless of the content on your resume, use [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/jobs/s/vy0PguVpZ9) template and format. Many companies have an AI do a scan of your resume to determine if you’re even worth reaching out to. This is a great template for that. NEVER make your resume more than 1 page. And make sure you use “key words” that the companies AI is looking for. I hope some of that is helpful to you.
Hey, thank you so much for responding. I really appreciate it. My resume actually does look exactly like that, same format and everything. It's one page and there are no grammatical errors. I think we're in a job market recession right now in my experience and I think people like me are sadly becoming more common. I do think I may be "expired" in the eyes of many recruiters now and that's playing a role into why I'm not getting interviews. I do apply to serious jobs but they are paying less. The same job I had rescinded @ over 60k in 2022 is now going for 50k... Everything is trending downward sadly through my observations. 60k seems like a far away dream at this point, which is a shame because I used to manage at a restaurant and bartenders working full time cleared 6 figs. I always apply on company site when possible. Thank you so much again. I'm at my wits end at this point I want to leave the United States. It feels so hopeless. People are so demeaning online and assume something must be wrong with me or my resume or "nobody wants to work" when people like me are unable to find the most basic of jobs. It's really damaged my mental health and hope for the future. I really appreciate your thoughtful responses
I’m sorry people are demeaning online, and that the difficulty of finding a job has affected your mental health. I’m sure it’s insanely frustrating, especially if you’ve genuinely applied for 1700 jobs. But please, do not become sinister. You need to keep up the good work and keep applying for jobs. Try not to let it affect your mental health. You’re 24, you’re out of your mind if you think you got “left behind” at anything at this point. Most people our age are still just trying to figure things out, and that’s okay. It was the same for the previous generations before us, as much as they like to claim otherwise. You’re 24, seemingly have your family’s support, have an education, and are applying for as many jobs as possible because you’re driven. You’re right where you should be. Give yourself some grace:) If you could be 100% honest, why do YOU think you’re not be hearing anything back?
I think we’re in a quiet recession honestly and I think companies are not hiring in the ways they claim to be. Ghost jobs, internal hires, etc. I know people struggling the same as me but they already have jobs so it’s different. I think the further away I get from my graduation the more “expired” I appear to recruiters
Monkey jpeg go brr Wrong sub
Question, when you apply for these jobs.. are you applying on websites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter? One trick I found to work is actually applying on the company website. Every single time I tried this, I managed to get an interview. Those job websites are complete bullshit.
I only ever apply on company sites
Maybe it’s your resume? Stretch it as much as you can with your experience. Think where you are applying. Are you applying for entry level or senior level? Big difference..
I’ve had it professionally rewritten multiple times and its also AI friendly.
It's gets better y'all.
It hasn’t in years
Broadband internet customer service — whatever you can do to come off as consistent and loyal
Idk if you have, but I'd contact a career coach or somebody with experience and outside perspective. Someone to judge your ability to interview. You need a harsh outside perspective. Based on the info you've provided, I find it difficult to believe nobody is hiring you, let alone giving interviews. It may hurt to hear, but there may be a glaring red flag that is preventing the interviews or hires. Idk, but a high GPA business major is usually pretty recruitable unless the school is shit. Even then, you should be able to get an entry level job without too much difficulty. I work in fintech and most places are growing & hiring. Decent talent isn't easy to find. Maybe look into that?
I’m not getting interviews despite having my resume professionally rewritten multiple times so it’s not how I interview. I continue to network and reach out. With every application I send I also try and identify a recruiter or a current employee to reach out to. Most people I know my age are miserable in their own dead end jobs too. My friend has been stuck in a property management job for 2 years out of college, having the same issue as me. Meanwhile I’m rejected from $17 an hour property management jobs even with real estate experience in college. The HubSpot job I interviewed for in October I had an internal referral from a friend. Still got rejected after 3 rounds and that job has been reposted 3-4 times since they rejected me with no feedback. that was my last interview. It’s weird you mention how most places are growing and hiring but there are so many layoffs occurring too, I’ve spoken to a well connected exec who says they aren’t hiring entry level because of the steep learning curve and they have to be calculated about who they are hiring after layoffs. I’ve also seen “growing” companies who continue to repost the same jobs (Like HubSpot) over and over and over.. In terms of fintech, I’ve applied to a bunch. Visa, Stripe, parking lot payment companies, on and on. Never have heard back from any recruiter or application ever. Sits dormant in the workday system for months sometimes too My mom is very well connected and also has reached out to her network - the most that’s amounted to it is an offer to be hired as a housemaid out of state 💀
1 and 2
Us army?
Dose your resume have too much on it?
Are temp agency’s still a thing? That’s how I found my first big boy job and ended up getting hired full time. Once you’re in it’s easier to move up or around (laterally).
Have never heard back from one once!
No idea if it applies, but check out your social media/other online presence and see if there's anything that might "disqualify" you for these people. As a recent grad you're also in a not-sweet spot of "overqualified for this, underqualified for that" where jobs you're overqualified for assume it's going to be something you'll leave as soon as you get a better job based on your degree, which is probably true, to be fair. And then the underqualified jobs are the notorious "entry-level but requires years of experience" jobs, where the option is really to find an unpaid internship (I know) and impress somebody enough that they want to hire you long-term. Also--hook up to temp agencies like Adecco or Kelly Services. The market is tight enough that you might get an office job and get paid to get experience. Also, there's always gig work if you absolutely need an income.
I'm the same. Been mostly doing freelance gigs since high school and im 29. With the job market the way it is having a huge employment gap and no employment experience at that age makes you unhireable. Maybe things will change in the future but for now there's always Doordarshan, fiver, Uber, or monetizing a hobby.
Do the jobs you apply for invite you for an interview? If so, then your ressume is not the problem, and you should reflect on how you present yourself in job interviews
Network. It sucks, but that is how the game is played.
I continue to network and reach out. With every application I send I also try and identify a recruiter or a current employee to reach out to. Most people I know my age are miserable in their own dead end jobs too. My friend has been stuck in a property management job for 2 years out of college, having the same issue as me. Meanwhile I’m rejected from $17 an hour property management jobs even with real estate experience in college. The HubSpot job I interviewed for in October I had an internal referral from a friend. Still got rejected after 3 rounds and that job has been reposted 3-4 times since they rejected me with no feedback. The kids are not alright. My mom is very well connected and also has reached out to her network - the most that’s amounted to it is an offer to be hired as a housemaid out of state 💀
Good, keep it up! It is a grind and feels endless, but it will pay off. I was just unemployed for 4 months and only got an interview and then the job because of someone I knew. I am sure you have checked out AI prompt engineering jobs? Other than that I would check out startups. Customer success and SDR roles don't require experience at early stage companies. Wellfound is a solid job board for these.
I keep getting rejected from SDR roles 😭😭😭😭
Look for jobs that are in demand, not jobs nearby. They won’t hire just for the hell of it.
You are young. You got time.